Curry-comb



(No Model.) Q

G. S. BURNETT & T. SWEENEY.

GURRYGOMB.

No. 472,521. Patented Apr. 12, 1892.

PI 77275 7 1 5- I JEFF/7701i.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALIFORNIA.

CURRY-COMB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,521, dated April 12, 1892.

Application filed October 16, 1891- Serial No. 408,945- (ll'o model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE S. BURNETT and THOMAS SWEENEY, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Cleaning Curry-Combs, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to curry-combs having devices or contrivances for removing dirt and hair from the teeth; and it has for its object to produce a self-acting cleaner that is applicable to most of the styles or constructions of curry-combs now in the market. It is adapted to operate by a shaking motion given to the implement while held in the hand during work .without requiring the use of the other hand of the operator or calling for special manipulation to Work it.

Ourimprovement consists, mainly,of a plate composed of anumber of spaced bars or strips about equal in width to the spaces between the teeth-plates and attached to the body or back of the comb at one side by a springhinge, so that the plate lies at the bottom of the teeth or closely against the body and is held in place by the spring. By virtue of its inertia, when the comb is shaken or moved rapidly up and down the plate will move with a flapping motion in and out on its hingejoint, and thereby strip the teeth-plates of the hairs and dirt that lodge in them.

The following description explains the manner in which we proceed to construct and apply our said improvement to a curry-comb, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section through the body of the comb and the cleaner. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the comb and the cleaner. Fig. 3 is a view of the cleaner separated from the comb, showing the bottom through both sets of knuckles.

B indicates a spiral spring placed around the pin of the hinge, having one end of the spring-wire bent and carried outward to rest upon the top of the comb, while the other end of the wire is similarly bent or extended to bear against the outer face or bottom of the slitted plate. When properly applied, the spring will hold the plate to its place at the bottom of the teeth or closely against the comb-body during all the positions and all the conditions in which the comb is held and worked; but by giving the comb an abrupt up-and-down or shaking movement while held flatwise by the handle the plate will operate with a flapping motion and will move rapidly outward from between the teeth-plates and then return again. One or two of such strokes in the air from time to time during work is sufficient to keep the teeth clean and will take the place of frequent knocks and taps of the comb that constitute the means most commonly employed at the present time to clean a curry-comb of the dirt and hairs removed from the animal.

From the foregoing description it Will be seen that our device is practically self-acting, as it does not require to be manipulated directly by the person using the comb. It leaves the teeth of the comb free andunobstructed during work, and after each time of action it remains at rest against the bottom of the comb-plate.

If desired, a latch E can beapplied to the outer end of the plate Ato catch over the edge of the comb when the plate comes back into place; but ordinarily we prefer to have the spring of suitable strength to hold the plate to place against the 00 in without requiring a catch.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings we have applied two short springs in place of one long spring; but we do not wish to be understood as restricting ourselves in that respect, as we may apply such form or character of spring as may be found best adapted for the purpose.

Having thus fully described our invention, What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A curry-comb having a vibrating cleaner, consisting of a slotted plate forming a number of bars or strips, which set between the rows of teeth and are joined together at the ends beyond the teeth, a hinge uniting said plate at one end to the bodyof the comb, leaving the other end free to vibrate, and a spring applied to the said plate to bring it back into place below the teeth after the outward movement, substantially as hereinbefore described. 2. The combination, with a curry-comb, of the vibrating cleaner A, having slits or intervals of space for the teeth, a hinge uniting the cleaner by one end to the body of the comb, and the spring applied to the plate at the hinge-joint, substantially as described, to operate as set forth.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands and seals.

GEORGE S. BURNETT. L. 3.] THOMAS SWEENEY. 'L. s] Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OSBORN, CHAS. E. KELLY. 

